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The Nigeria Police Force has completed threat assessments across states and local government areas as part of preparations to prevent armed crime and pre-election violence ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, disclosed this on Tuesday on the sidelines of the Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers (CARSPO) 2026 in Owerri, Imo State.
Disu said the assessments were conducted to identify security threats and guide police deployment during the elections.
He added that training for police officers and other agencies involved in election security would commence after the retreat.
“We are prepared for the election because we have done our pre-training, our plans as usual, and so far so good. We are good to go for the election,” he said.
The IGP also disclosed that the police were strengthening their capacity to tackle misinformation, deepfakes and other technology-driven crimes that could affect the elections.
According to him, officers in the police cybercrime unit are being trained to use artificial intelligence tools to detect manipulated images, videos and other forms of online disinformation.
He said three rounds of training had already been conducted for middle-cadre and junior officers, while additional personnel were undergoing specialised artificial intelligence training outside Nigeria.
Disu said the police would also deploy personnel to quickly verify emerging claims and provide accurate information to counter misinformation.
On allegations of extortion at checkpoints, particularly claims by farmers and truckers that multiple security checkpoints were contributing to rising food prices, the IGP said the police had deployed covert teams to tackle the problem.
He also said data from the Police Complaint Response Unit (CRU) indicated a reduction in complaints against police officers.
Disu urged members of the public to use the CRU’s contact channels to report misconduct, assuring that officers found culpable would be disciplined.
“When you complain, we act on it. Anybody arrested, police officers arrested to be doing what they are not supposed to do are punished accordingly,” he said.
The IGP also rejected claims that senior police officers were protected from accountability, saying the principle applied to both law enforcement personnel and members of the public.
He cited the recent arrest and arraignment of a driver in Abuja who allegedly ran a red light, hit police officers with his vehicle while attempting to escape and assaulted them after being stopped.
According to Disu, the suspect was arrested, arraigned the following day and remanded in custody.
He called on Nigerians to obey the law, stressing that ending impunity required accountability from both security personnel and citizens.
